Hails & Fails – November 18th 2022
As the nation enters peak shopping season, with the World Cup around the corner and festive campaigns stacking up, it’s been another busy week in PR. Samsung revealed a powerful art campaign, KFC opened its first-ever boozer, and Paddy Power made a dash for the festive charts! It was a crash landing for Virgin Atlantic after the airline suspended an LGBTQ+ positive policy.
HAILS
Artworks reimagined to highlight societal issues
Samsung has given classic artworks by the likes of Millais and Constable a fresh lick of paint to highlight a host of 21st century issues.
The pieces reference the pollution of UK rivers and the epidemic of loneliness in the wake of the pandemic, among other things.
The topics were selected after a poll established the top ten issues young people are most concerned about in 2022.
Samsung is being lauded for the campaign – and rightfully so after using its platform to talk about the problems that really matter.
KFC proves it’s not just a ‘one chick pony’
Beloved fast food chain KFC left its comfort zone this week after launching its first-ever boozer – yes, really!
The aptly named Colonel’s Arms in Hammersmith will see foodies queuing in their droves to chow down, sink a beer, and watch the World Cup.
The pub will open exclusively for one week only from November 25, with thousands already lining up to pre-purchase tickets.
Foodie social media has been flooded with praise for KFC, who’s marching to the beat of its own drumstick with this campaign!
Unlikely duo enter the festive charts
Paddy Power has brought ex-footballer Peter Crouch and opera star Paul Potts together to record a classical World Cup album.
‘Crouchy Conducts The Classics’ gives popular chants from the terraces of football stadiums a classical (and unexpected!) twist.
The album features reimagined versions of We Love You England, VAR My Lord and You’re Not Singing Anymore – all conducted by the big man himself.
The campaign from Paddy Power is as creative as it is fun – and all in the name of charity. We love it!
FAILS
Virgin Atlantic slammed for failing LGBTQ+ community
The airline was roundly congratulated in September when it launched a gender-neutral uniform policy for its staff.
However, that counts for little now, after bosses scrapped the policy for Virgin’s flight taking England’s World Cup football squad to Qatar.
The airline based the decision on a “risk assessment… considering laws and attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community and expressions of identity”.
For the LGBTQ+ community and its supporters, that doesn’t quite cut it, and one look at social media will tell you why.
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